trial balance

American  

noun

Bookkeeping.

• trial balances
  plural

1. a statement of all the open debit and credit items, made preliminary to balancing a double-entry ledger.

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trial balance British  

noun

1. accounting a statement of all the debit and credit balances in the ledger of a double-entry system, drawn up to test their equality

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• trial balances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of trial balance

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trial balance

In fact, I considered myself as competent to handle the Florina as I was to make out a trial balance.

From Desk and Debit or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk by Oliver Optic

The trial balance to-night developed a shortage of $1.22.

From V. V.'s Eyes by Henry Sydnor Harrison

"You have been faithful, and you have kept your books remarkably well; but taking a trial balance isn't your forte yet."

From Desk and Debit or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk by Oliver Optic

The first day of the month came, and when I added the month's business to my trial balance, I found another amount of five thousand dollars unexplained by any invoice.

From Desk and Debit or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk by Oliver Optic

A trial balance, from gross figures, had been drawn off, so that the President was able to report with reasonable exactitude on the condition of the company.

From White Ashes by Sidney R. (Sidney Robinson) Kennedy